Revenge games are something the NFL gives us constantly. People come and go from teams but sometimes, there is a spice to it. However, now that Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears will face Spencer Rattler and the New Orleans Saints, one of Ben Johnson‘s coordinators will have a revenge game of his own.
Dennis Allen was fired by the Raiders in 2014. Then, he spent seven seasons on the Saints as defensive coordinator, and was promoted to head coach after Sean Payton’s departure. However, Allen was let go eventually and is now the DC of the Bears.
Speaking on facing his former team with Andrew Seligman of the Associated Press, Allen said, “A lot of good experiences, a lot of good people, a lot of wins. We were a part of a lot of success there. I’ve got fond memories of it, but this week is really all about let’s focus on the football. This is going to be about the players on the field, Bears versus the Saints, those guys will really determine the outcome of the game.”
Allen’s time in New Orleans was a tale of two parts
As a defensive coordinator, Allen is lowkey elite. He is a brilliant defensive mind. In five of his seven seasons as the Saints’ DC, he had them always in the top half in points allowed, yards allowed and takeaways. He was the mastermind behind a top-tier defense.
As a head coach though, it’s a different story. In fact, he coached the Saints for three seasons and had only one winning season. That is the only winning season he’s ever had as a head coach. His record as HC is 26-53. Allen knows his best place to shine is to be the DC of a team led by an offensive-minded head coach, which is what he is doing now with Ben Johnson.
Ben Johnson has a chip on his shoulder
The Bears are 3-2 in the first year of Ben Johnson’s era. They are also on a three-game win streak. Any Bears fan would take that with Caleb Williams under center. But Troy Aikman, Hall of Famer and now NFL analyst, said the Bears are not a great team yet, and Ben Johnson took offense to that.
On the other hand, facing the 1-5 Saints could be catalogued as a trap game. Johnson is clear on something. “We won’t overlook this opponent,” Johnson said. Hence, all eyes will be on the Bears that cannot slip against the Saints.